Take a Hip Hop Lesson 'à La Française'

This January, the Paris suburb of Suresnes is hosting the 21st edition of its annual hip hop dance festival, a showcase for the vibrant fusion of street and contemporary dance that France has made its own.

Published

4 months ago

Categories

Arts & Society

People

Céline Lefèvre, Mathieu Hernandez, Jean Claude Marignale

Places

France, Paris, Suresnes

Transcript

SCRIPT: Hiphop was born in the Bronx in the 1970s -- but it's found a second home in modern multicultural France. Though it began as an artform of the streets, French afficionados quickly gave it pride of place on stages across the country…slotting it into theatre programmes alongside more established forms of dance such as classical or contemporary. This prestigious hiphop festival in the Paris suburbs is now in its 21st year. SOUNDBITE 1, Jean-Claude Marignale, Hiphop Choreographer and Dancer (French, 15 sec): "In other countries it's remained a type of choreography, with dancers grouped together in set places. But there's no diversity, there's no one coming out of the pack to take a solo, showing individual personality." And though it's often seen as a male-dominated world, women are increasingly involved in hiphop. Though many say that before they could take part in the famous hiphop freestyle battles, they had to prove themselves worthy opponents. SOUNDBITE 2, Céline Lefèvre, Hiphop and Classical Dancer (French, 20 sec): "You had to act like them -- put on a big baggy T-shirt and baseball cap, do THIS like the guys did. Once you'd done that, it was all, 'You see, I can do that too….and I know how to do THIS as well, I know how to do THIS and THIS and THIS. I know how to act like a girl -- I am a girl.' " And there's now a new generation of hiphop stars, drawing inspiration from some unexpected sources. Dancers on this stage are incorporating elements from the circus and carnival tradition…creating new, hybrid forms of dance. SOUNDBITE 3, Mathieu Hernandez, Dancer (French, 22 sec): "This cultural exchange is always worthwhile. And what's interesting is keeping things evolving, getting to a level where you can bring everything together." It may owe more to the dance school than the ghetto -- but as this festival hopes to show, hiphop has for many young admirers become one of the most French dance forms available. SHOTLIST SURESNES, France, Dec 2012 SOURCE: AFPTV -GVs rehearsals for "No limit, no time" -SOUNDBITE -GVs of Céline dancing "Hiphop lesson" show -SOUNDBITE -GVs clown hiphop improvisation -SOUNDBITE -GVs audience during public rehearsals